There’s some good news/bad news with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Well, maybe “bad news” is too harsh. Maybe it’s just “I’m-not-sure-about-this news.” The good news is that William and Kate probably/maybe aren’t going to Mustique this month. At least from what I can tell of their confirmed schedule, I’m not sure when they would be able to fit it in. Last week, Kate confirmed an appearance for November 17th on behalf of The Fostering Network in London. Then William and Kate will be doing joint appearances in Wales on the 20th. When will they ever make it to Mustique?! It’s been forever since they had a proper holiday! *hair toss* I guess it’s possible that they’ll sneak away after the 20th, when America is celebrating Thanksgiving and few people are paying attention.
And now for the I’m-not-sure-about-this news… the Cambridges are headed to India next year. Last week, the Queen welcomed India’s prime minister Narenda Modi to Buckingham Palace, and after the visit, BP and Kensington Palace announced that at the Queen’s request, the Cambridges would be visiting India next year. Probably early next year, maybe January/February.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are set to follow in Charles and Diana’s footsteps next Spring when they will embark on a tour of India 24 years after William’s parents visited. Although neither Kate or William, both 33, have journeyed to the country before, the Prince of Wales visited as recently as November 2013, on a nine-day tour. The trip is in the very early stages of planning but both the Government and Kensington Palace were keen to announce it while the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is in the UK. Mr Modi was a guest of the Queen at Buckingham Palace where they lunched together. It is the first visit by an Indian PM in a decade.
Despite details of Kate and William’s trip to India being sketchy, FEMAIL can reveal that the couple will not be taking their children, Prince George, two, and Princess Charlotte, six-months, with them. Prince George travelled with his parents when they went on tour to Australia and New Zealand last year, and was dubbed ‘the republican slayer’ due to his popularity with members of the public. But it is understood William and Kate feel this tour would prove too gruelling for the youngsters, particularly Charlotte who won’t even be a year old. Instead the children will remain in the UK with their nanny, Maria Borallo, and maternal grandparents, Michael and Carole Middleton.
This will not be the first overseas visit the couple have taken without their children having taken a trip to the states without their first born at the end of 2014. The couple spent several days in New York city in December last year without George who remained at home in the care of Borallo.
That NYC trip wasn’t the only trip they made without the kids! Will and Kate notably went on a luxury vacation to the Maldives in March 2014, just after Will went boar-hunting with Jecca Craig and just after Kate went to Mustique with her family. Prince George did not join them for that vacation and they left him with Nanny Maria, who was then just days into the new job. Now, that being said, I don’t really blame them for not wanting to bring the kids on an official tour. They’ll be busy, or they’ll be as “busy” as Will and Kate ever get. Still, it would have been nice to get some photo-ops with the babies in India.
As for the trip itself… this is totally my bias, but my father was born in the last years of India’s inclusion in the British Empire (when India was called “the jewel in the crown”) and while he loved that India became a vibrant, independent democracy, he was also something of a royalist and an Anglophile. I would imagine that politics aside, most Indians will be pleased to see Will and Kate.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Lets hope on this Royal Engagement waity katy remembers not to show her bare bottom and to wear underwear… not like when she went to Australia constantly having her dresses blow up
not at all dignified when representing our country…
Our country deserves better than this…..
Yes, she did those things but it wasn’t “constantly”. Once in Australia and once in NZ. And yes, one would hope she’d learn.
Actually, it was once in Canada (twice if you count the sailor McQueen dress which mercifully had a slip attached unerneath), once in NZ (the red coat) and TWICE in Australia (first time in 2012 Brisbane airport when they were returning from Diamond Jubilee Tour there is a youtube video and second time in 2014 the white and blue Diane von Furstenberg dress) and several times in UK. But to her credit she did not flash America, Denmark or Belgium 😀
I’ve been to (and LOVE) India, but lol a lot to think of prissy, fancy Kate and Wills there. I can totally see them turning their nose up at *everything*
hehe, But I have to say that they’ll be living in the Five Star Hotels and eating at the fanciest restaurants. Their transportation won’t be a rickshaw but rather a lovely air conditioned car. Will they really experience India? Hardly.
British aristos have lots of links with, and generally get on extremely well with, Indian high society.
Sixer: yet these two look very uncomfortable if they are with high society of other nations/races if they don’t resemble their very narrow circle of high society.
Exception: celebrities though I doubt these two would recognise an Indian celeb. Not even Shilpa Shetty.
True enough.
And the thought they are anywhere near capable of negotiating the background of current Indian politics is, well, laughable.
Ho hum. Imagine: this is our future. These two representing us abroad.
Will be interesting to see how they handle any mention of the legal case by various Indian actors and businessmen who are trying to sue the UK gov for the return of the Koh I Noor diamond. With the same tact that he handled the petting zoo visit in China.
These 2 are already an embarrassment to the country.
@ Betti
What had happened in the petting zoo? Sorry for bothering you but I just didn’t get that.
@Pondering: Petting Zoo was the wrong choice of words. When Willy was in China last time he visited an elephant sanctuary which was next door to an animal circus (i believe he was advised NOT to visit that particular sanctuary for that reason) and when the assembled press asked him about the cruel performances taking place down the road he turned away (read: walked off in a huff) without saying a word.
Betti, didn’t William walk away in a huff when he saw Chinese officials had placed a framed photo of his mother (photographed in China 20 years earlier) beside the (same) location?
Shilpa’s main claim to fame was that disgraceful incident with Jade Goody years ago. My fave was always Daljit Dhaliwal, such grace and presence, and a erudite reporter to boot. Katy Bucket would do well to swat up before she launches herself on Mother India.
@Citresse – I don’t know – but there was footage of Willy walking away from the press when asked about the circus, had a look on YT but can’t find it but i did see a clip of it and he wasn’t happy.
Antipodean: there a many, bigger celebrities than Shilpa Shetty, however, most people in Britain don’t know who they are.
Shilpa Shetty is the only one who made a dent in the national conscious because of that Big Brother incident.
I know I’ve mentioned this on here before, but it never ceases to amaze me that Kate is not that well-traveled. I think it’s something that I always pick up on because I love to travel but money and work/lack of vacation time has always stopped me. For her to have spent so much time not working pre marriage and to vacation as much as he has, I can’t believe she has jus been going to the same places over and over again.
If anything it proves she’s a) a created of habit, doesn’t like venturing out her little bubble b) she always holidayed with her family (have never read of her holidaying with friends) and c) the Middleton family were never that wealthy, they were supporting all 3 kids throu and after Uni (paying for clothes, buying them a flat in Chelsea etc..), I doubt if the finances would have stretched to regular holidays as well.
@Betti – I definitely think you’re right. It’s just crazy to me because I can only go back to the same place a few times. And I’ve always doubted how rich Carole and Mike actually are.
@HH, me too!! I literally could not believe she had never been to the U.S. before that first tour, and somehow I doubt she’s been to Asia. I think I read that she spent some time in Italy, but I wonder where else she’s been, aside from islands/beach resorts.
My family did not have a lot of money at all, but traveling has always been a huge priority for me so I found ways to make it happen. I understand there are so many people who would love the chance to see different cultures and are prevented because it’s so expensive, but the Middletons seemed pretty well off. (Well off enough so that their children could travel a bit.)
@Charlotte – Exactly! So many people make time for it. In the US it’s harder because we’re so far away from other countries and flying is the only option. It boggles my mind how little she seems to have traveled the world, but Europe especially. Between Eurostar and the cheap flights between countries, it seems ridiculous she hasn’t seen the region.
I’m in no way defending her, but Kate did travel to South America (Chile) during her gap year (missing Willie’s trip by a few months) and Africa before the engagement. Unfortunately, these excursions didn’t seem to have much affect on her world outlook.
But agree, most of her trips abroad have been repeats like Ibiza, the Alps, the Caribbean, and this trip in 2007 to the Seychelles (see, she really does have normal hair):
https://theroyalpost.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/kate_middleton_kate_before_cambridge_at_gatwick_airport_14_july_2007_01_movocuq-sized.jpg
@Olenna – If the speculation is to be believed (and I do), then the gap year in Chile was to chase William. And the trip Africa prior to the engagement was also to vacation with William. In fact, I don’t think has set foot on the African continent as an adult without William being her sole reason to be there. The Alps, I believe she goes skiing with William (and IIRC those were the first photos of her and Wills together). So, if William isn’t there, and she can’t get a good tan, I guess the destination is not worth it.
Also, if we go with the notion that the Middletons aren’t as wealthy as they would have us believe, then they may only vacation in a few spots because of favors/hookups from someone they know. I think that’s the reasoning for returning to Mustique
Perhaps Mike & Carole visited a lot of interesting places while they were British Airlines employees. They lived in Jordan for a few years. They may have seen everything they wanted to see using their BA travel perks and now they just want to be seen skiing or getting a tan.
As for Kate’s travel resume and not being impacted by her overseas trips, she does not seem introspective at all which would explain why she has traveled abroad and met a lot of high profile people but remains as callow as a 13 year old.
Kate vacation MO is luxury resort. Some claim there are two basic types of vacationers: travelers and tourists. Tourists tend to prefer guided group travel packages, resorts and “English spoken here”. Travelers are inquisitive, adventurous and self confident people whose goal in travel is to immerse themselves in other cultures. A person cannot learn much if anything, about themselves or another culture when staying in a western style luxury resort.
Speaking of noses, it looks to me as if her old one is growing back. Time for a touch up maybe. Poor Jason, I had hoped that he would be able to slope off on holidays himself, while they were in Mustique. Sadly no, it would seem.
When are they ever prissy? They’re always so gracious. I’ve never seen them be haughty.
Merely one example was when William was caught on video calling a guest at a fund raising event “a bore” (or “a boor”).
Let’s start with Kate’s fake posh accent.
Anniversary trip?
It would be a sad thing if Charles and Camillia weren’t the middle layer between these two.
To do what in India? Develop economic connections? They don’t have that power. Draw publicity? India is pretty well known. They represent, badly, an outdated institution.
Who needs their visit? And why? The world needs more than pretty-smiling people.
Don’t think so much @ALS. Look at the dress! Look at the haircut! Pay no attention to the doolittles behind the curtain!
@Senaber: thanks for reminding me.
Sometimes I slip and start thinking about stuff and it ends badly.
Will reset.
Perhaps they’re headed to an ashram to experience a spiritual awakening through yoga, meditation, and rejection of material wealth.
LOL! As if…. They probably don’t even know what an ashram is.
“I’ll ‘ave me three of yer Bollywood frocks made of ashram! But can you do two wiv a shorter skirt what’s nice an flips?, an’ one all in Jolie Black? An’ cor, a lovely big bottle of eau de Ganges perfume whiles yer at it? Oi ‘ow much fer tha bangles up yer arm?”
It’s simply a vacation masquerading as “work”. Red carpet treatment, minimal effort on their part other than to “show up” and essentially be dined and wined. Ah, I wish my business trips were like that, lol!
I’m Indian and I loathe my trips to India. I hate it there.
Harry will be visiting China, can’t help but wonder if royal machine wanted Will & Kate to have a trip to match his?
ALS, the reason they are going to India- they wanted a vacation to a exotic (photogenic) locale.
They’re going to the Caribbean (another vacation) so there is no time for Mustique.
Taj Mahal.
To “energize” their dwindling love for each other, the monarchy and Great Britain.
Isn’t India known for producing precious stones? Wasn’t it rubies? Well, I guess Kate would be interested … especially if their visit were topped with a sparkling present.
They want a picture of Waity and Bill in front of the Taj Mahal. That’s basically it. I can’t think of any other reason for them to go there.
My question is, ‘what is the point?’ I really don’t get it.
I love the photos Kaiser picks for her articles.
Agree, “what’s the point”! But, maybe TQ (or Charles) is trying add some heft to the lightweights’ royal resumes. Honestly, I’d love to know whose idea this really was.
I think they are on vacation right now.
No sightings at all, and it’s a solid chunk of time between Remenbrance sunday – 17th. 9-10days. That’s the usual length of time they do in exotic locations.
Yet no stories about it. Maybe this was the point of their press meeting: meet George and Charlotte, photograph them while we actually do some engagements and in return don’t mention Mustique while they’re gone. Wait until they get back and do more engagements instead of drumming up more animosity while the public waits for pictures.
LAK, I’m right there with you. I think it’s very likely they’re on vacation right now and keeping it on quiet.
I guess if they show up later this month at appearances with glowing tans, then we’ll know 😉
Zinjojo: yep!!
Natalie: or we’ll get the pictures (one) once they are back.
William & Kate will return to duty with an orange glow that comes naturally from 9-10 days in the sun.
As for the announcement, the official notification has the date of January 2015. So this was either supposed to be announced then or their PR was lazy as usual and didn’t proofread.
I agree. They are on vacation.
Agree, LAK. I think they put everyone off the scent by saying 2 weeks initially. But they have time for one week and a day or two!
I just said that same thing downthread!!! Where have they been the last week or so? No press on them since, when? Remembrance Sunday? Last week?
Slow-top here. Wasn’t it reported that they were going to the Bahamas or the Caribbean this month & taking the kids with them? Wasn’t that discussed here.
If they were, they’re back now. William going to the England-France match tomorrow, according to the BBC.
Ugh, I suppose we’ll get a photo of the Ungrateful Duo sitting in front of the Taj Mahal, so William can try to make us feel sorry for him by remembering that photo of his mother sitting alone.
Oh, most likely. I really wish they’d stop using Diana for publicity. It’s offensive and sooooo transparent that these two pale in comparison to what Diana accomplished. If she were alive she would have clipped William around the ears a long time ago for his bad attitude never mind his choice of wife.
My first thought as well. He will milk that photo of Diana for all it’s worth.
And Kate will even wear clothes similar to Diana’s in front of the Taj Mahal.
It was: lilac skirt, white blouse, red jacket.
Diana could pull off lilac+red, but Kate? Oh dear …
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/09/19/1411161400353_Image_galleryImage_Photo_must_be_credited_Da.JPG
I remember the comment thread here on George’s outfit for Charlotte’s christening -many people strongly felt it was fine and actually touching. How many Diana recreations can they get away with before the general tide turns against them just as it did for their poor workload and affectations of being normal and thrifty?
Um, she is his mother. They’re being respectful about invoking her presence during family gatherings.
Respectful or trading in on it? Eventual heir was christening in private, his christening coin only had his first name.
For the daughter? Public parade, crowds, and all three names PLUS Diana’s favorite flowers.
They trade on Diana’s memory and it is incredibly disrespectful.
To be fair, everybody who goes to India & is in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal, gets photographed in front of it. This is particularly so for visiting dignitaries. It’s practically obligatory.
But enough with being fair–I bet they’re on vacation right now, but they could also squeeze in a trip to Mustique before this one, it’s supposed to happen in ‘the spring’, leaving plenty of time for a February Caribbean trip.
@ hazel
You are right that every dignitary practically “needs” that Taj Mahal pic …
And we will see if Kate will pull off Diana’s clothes. Or if Kate and William will stand in front of the Taj Mahal or if they will sit on a bench like Diana …
Nopes. I want only Prince Gingermuffin.
A lot of press coverage if they visit the Taj Mahal together, since it’ll draw comparisons to the fact Charles and Diana didn’t.
There were a lot of then and now comparisons during W&K’s trip to AUZ and NZ.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmPhaG1ud38
There was something off about this Mustique trip right from the get go. It was put out there immediately that the Middleton Men would not be joining. I wonder if something happened. Like, Fo Real. Anyway, I like to think that someone cracked the whip on the DoLittles. But once again–For what feels like the millionth time in these four and a half years–It’s the same song. Maybe this is their thing, two trips in a year. One that’s mostly BS and a vacation. Then one that’s mostly BS and a vacation, but with a bigger clothes budget for Princess Catherine. I’ve said it before. String together a few YEARS of this (bare minimum) behavior and then we’ll talk. Until then, you’ll get no oohing or cooing from me, or even a pat on the back for doing what is still the least they could do, at what is their job. It’s still one down and hundreds of appearances to make up for and that too would be doing significantly less than other royals.
Let’s think about that for a second. Even IF! they started to consistently and legitimately hit an average of 100+ engagements a year, or around 300 between them, that’s still significantly less than what other working royals manage individually or as a couple. Compounding that issue are the long gaps between events, the brevity of their appearances, and the lightweight nature of 99.9% of them (hence, the BS/vacation work trips). William and Kate should never complain about the tabloids. It keeps them relevant and covers the gaps of their absences. One of the things that irritates me the most nowadays are the “flurries” of events. Yes, they are like flurries in a meteorological sense. If you mean light dusting of snow, that probably won’t stick or matter. That’s quite accurate. Because remember that flurry before Kate left for maternity leave. It was like 6 appearances in January, 8 in February, and the big flurry of 10 in March. We’re in the middle of a flurry now, right? The DoLittles really got going in October and November just like P.J. told the Mail they would. If I count The Rugby World Cup and the Balmoral visit–Starting in September, Kate’s done like 20 things, and that’s if I’m being a bit generous, because you know they will be. And that’s your flurry after only doing a handful of fluff appearances since May. I know 20 sounds impossible–I don’t believe it myself–But just take a scroll http://www.celebitchy.com/category/kate_middleton/page/4/ I can’t be that far off. That’s the PR magic of the flurries. I believe Kate’s work total this year is hovering around 60. And yes, that does include the video message/NYTimes quote/short letter (that’s 3), rugby, polo, Wimbledon, etc., I even included tea with Angie and Brad, Prince Phillip’s b-day dinner, and a funeral. 60! For Kate at least. Because Bill’s schedule is even sketchier and harder to keep track of than Kate’s. I like to make fun of the galas, dinners, luncheons, crap that Kate does. But she doesn’t have a thing of hubby, his luncheons, his “received” so and so, and his meetings.
Now, if I haven’t ruined your morning enough, just remember how she (Charles) spent about $160,000 on clothes and accessories in the first year of the marriage. Remember how it was estimated that she wore $60,000-83,000 worth of clothes in 19 days on the trip to OZ? Why the range? Because she had worn some things before, BUT others were bespoke. So we don’t have a clue of what the final bill was. I’m also not entirely clear on who really would end up paying the bill for a work trip like that when all is said and done. So also remember that the “recycling” has almost stopped entirely, while the number of super expensive and bespoke clothes has increased ever since George was born. (I feel like we kind of joke about this. But I am starting to think that Kate’s being given “incentives” to work/show her face. William’s incentive is Harry). So remember that. And the work total. And the quality and content of said work. And the tennis court. Happy Sunday 😀
@AMBER your comment about W&K and the tabloids struck me as particularly funny because I happened to see the play “King Charles III” last night in New York and that is a big part of the premise: that William and Kate, but MOSTLY Kate, understand that page views and clicks and “column inches” is what will keep the BRF relevant now and in the future.
They are at odds with Charles, who still believes that he can do better by reading and studying and really having a handle on what the issues are. W&K know it’s all just a show.
I won’t spoil the ending in case anyone reading this sees the show, which I highly recommend. It was fantastic!
Odds are I won’t see the play, but it sounds interesting! And so sad that it’s all down to clicks.
@ Amber
Very good points. I agree with you that it takes a LOT OF MONEY to motivate Kate into doing ‘work.’ It’s not enough that she gets all the other perks, because I think she counts those as the basic standard for being a royal and not as part of an exchange in which she’s expected to give something back to society.
For William, I think it’s about trying to up his tally before the year ends. I think he can still feel embarrassment, especially during the Christmas party with the older royals. I’m thinking they’re quite skillful at coy remarks, especially Philip, Anne, and Edward.
Kinda think her stylist spent that money. I don’t think Kate has that much of an eye for fashion.
KM shops constantly, she was the one who spent that money. It wasn’t the 24-year-old stylist hanging out at Bicester Village and meeting with designers.
Gee, Kate looks underweight to me even while wearing a COAT! This is officially scary to me.
If W&K are in Mustique, wouldn’t it have been leaked to media by now?
I would guess they’ve hunkered down at Amner right now.
Not always.
This topic of secrecy reminded me of when Diana would wear a long dark wig to go out to the jazz clubs with Hasnat Khan.
I can understand if William and Kate use alternate names for private travels, but disguises too?
There has been other holidays that the press haven’t reported on – they were rumbled by the plebs on twitter (the Maldives one when George was very young and Nanny Maria had just started the job).
It seems to me that their every move isn’t printed up by the media, as it isn’t for the other royals too.
There’s a different relationship between the Royals and the UK press than there is for the POTUS (and other high US government officials) and the US press. There’s no UK version of the US 1st Amendment.
They had a little meet and greet with press and the kids a few weeks’ ago. That seemed to placate even the most vocal of their detractors.
Citresse says:
I would guess they’ve hunkered down at Amner right now.
That’s my guess as well, William may have been working at his EAAA job this past week and this upcoming week William and Kate have engagements in London and Wales.
Wow, a whole new wardrobe for Waity. She’ll be thrilled!
2 Thoughts:
-Here comes another Taj Mahal recreation.
-How many sari themed A-lines will Kate wear?
Now Kate can wear the wedding gift she received from Chandrika Shingadia. The Shingadias own the store Peaches Spar in Middleton’s home town. Not sure if they attended the wedding, but Mrs. Shingadia sent Kate a sari.
Where have Will and Kate been the past week? I was thinking they might have slipped away to Mustique the past few days.
I think they usually go in the beginning of the year, Jan or Feb anyway.
Her smile frightens me.
The teeth! She looks ready to bite an ear… Of corn.
I’m Indian, no real opinions on this woman other than her clothes are basic (don’t care about her work, UK taxpayers fund her so she is your problem, not ours) and I can honestly say she and William wouldn’t draw any more excitement than the average visiting dignitary.
It would have been different if this trip had happened earlier in their marriage or when William still had hair, but now they’ve settled into staid married life, it’s not that interesting
Wasn’t the prediction the Carribean? India seems like more of a real “work” trip than the Carribean.